The Nexus Corporation and You

   Originally the Nexus Chemical and Catalyst Company, the largest political party and most powerful corporation in Deltora began as a single independent refinery in Karnasi. Being situated under the dire conditions of Deltora's Eastern Shore region, the plant was constantly under siege by wild spirits and demons from the sea. In an effort to curb these attacks, the management saw fit to hire a local wizard along with their contracted demon. They introduced themselves as Mikhail Xevrich and Eperot, and during their first weeks employed to protect the refinery they began to implement changes where they saw fit in the production process. As productivity improved, they began dictating business decisions as well. In a matter of months Xevrich owned a controlling share of the company, and ultimately set about expanding the business in the decades that followed. While the detail's of Xevrich's contract with his demon Eperot has never been disclosed to the public, he's rumored to have given his mind to be eaten, in exchange for Eperot's services until the end of his lifetime. 
    The Nexus Company rapidly grew rich producing gunpowder during the Third Sand War and began buying up dozens of rival businesses, and began branching out into new fields of production and research. The company had over five hundred facilities as part of their vertically integrated industrial empire by 5991. At the start of the most recent Deltoran civil war they ended up deciding the outcome by refusing to supply the house Novacore and supporting the rebels, and eventually helping to install one of their primary shareholders on the throne, the house Glasskard. Under the new regime they were granted permission by the Royal sorcerer's guild to venture into the world of hyrbid technology (technology that invokes magic without human presence) and became a major manufacturing power in dozens of fields.
    Undoubtably a monopoly, the Nexus Corporation is the leading name in household chemicals, steam car manufacturing, electronics, and impersonal spells, with total control of all the factors of production behind those products. They're also granted first priority by the government in choice of raw materials, as they have received several exclusive contracts from the military for the production of guns, tanks, and airships. 
    Their management nowadays is as mysterious as they must be wealthy. More and more decisions by the board of directors are overridden by the reclusive Xevrich, Chief Executive Officer of the head branch of Nexus R & D. Over one hundred and twenty years old by 6009, many critics of the Nexus leadership claim he may be losing his mind to his demon, or even plain old age. These critics, of course, receive informal visits from the infamous Okhrana, the Queen's secret police, or worse yet The Stalkers, the abominable artificial demons supposedly created to dispatch the Nexus Corporation's most urgent threats. 

Deltora and Ulanazar: A Guide

    Here at SPFT, you may be encountering a great deal of words you do not understand. In upcoming (and past) posts there'll be talk of two entities which are very important to understand. A detailed history of each should come in due time, but today we're here to outline the basics for you. 
    The rival empires of Deltora and Ulanazar are two of the largest and most influential states in Shaarian history. At the start of Overture in 6009 H.E. (Human Era, as opposed to the previous Demon Era and the preceding Dragon Era) the two powers have been locked in cold war for over a generation. To understand the bad blood between the two powers you must understand the culture differences they fail to overcome.
    Deltora is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament and sorcerer's guild, each balancing each other, and in effect making up the imperial government. Historically prone to civil war and regicide, Deltora has seen a wild variety of identities, and recently taken up the sword of the conqueror, setting its sights on neighboring countries and long-contested colonial possessions. Why? Following the most recent Deltoran War of Succession, the House Glasskard of the Kulikov Province came to power, backed by the powerful Nexus Corporation. Over the next nine years the political branch of the Nexus Corporation, known as the Nexus Party to the people, became wildly popular with it's promises of restored economic prosperity and military domination. With Queen Elaine Glasskard on the throne, the nation certainly did flourish, and by the start of Overture the empire is overflowing with ultra-nationalism and practically fascist levels of bloodlust. The Nexus party controls five hundred seats in a six hundred seat parliament and the royal family is heavily invested in the company itself, which incidentally produces guns, airships, steamcars, and electronics. 
    
    Naturally war with their old rival seems inevitable. The Holy Ulanazar Nation has been noted for not being very holy, or by any means Ulanazar, and certainly not a nation per say. Traditionally Ulanazar refers the long-annihilated ethnic group from which the Church of Ulanazar originated. Dating back to 3000 H.E., the Church of Ulanazar Embarked on a spirited campaign of conquest and evangelization following the ascension of their lord and prophet, a vastly influential goatherd from the desert regions of Western Greater Shaar. His apostles each headed armies of their own and carved the region into a dozen "Aposolates", a few remaining to the present age, but most slowly consolidated by the central orthodox sect of the Church of Ulanazar, either through violent inquisitions, or even more violent crusades. The leadership of the Church and the Military in the Ulanazar nation has remained a mystery even to its own people. While it's clear the Church elders and high priests hold authority over the Church and state, the military and even some sects of the Church are rumored to be controlled by the Ulanazarul Scion, a supposed descendant of one of the apostles, and a powerful wizard as well. The empire has gradually expanded and solidified over the millennia and its leadership are as accustomed to their power as their people are eager for change. Unfortunately for the serfs of Ulanazar, a call for a ninetieth crusade has been issued, this time a war not against the heretic Aposolates neighboring Ulanazar, but against the heathen Empires across the deserts, namely Deltora and her allies. 

Egalitarian?

Remember, this is a industrializing fantasy world, wrought with political turmoil akin to Europe around the dawn of the 20th century. Although it’s already embodied in a select few countries on Shaar, the idea of egalitarianism is largely suppressed and unheard of on Greater Shaar. The concept is simple: sorcerers and humans live as equals under a firm meritocracy. Easier than said done of course, and old habits die hard. Traditionally the monarchies of Shaar are very close-knit (read: inbred) and have a high (but not assured) occurrence of thaumaturgy as do their respective aristocracies. This promotes a feudal system where the upper tiers, royalty, nobility, freelance sorcerers, have a supernatural advantage over the largely ordinary human estates of the merchant and working class. 

In newly industrializing nations the advent of certain technology has leveled the playing field and improved the quality of life for humans and wizards alike, but the archaic social structure in practice is quickly becoming obsolete as humans feel less and less inferior to their gifted counterparts. Although democracy and egalitarianism are not explicitly linked, most activists for equality also cry for a form of government that represents the population adequately, although this is a source of conflict within revolutionary circles, as people tend to take their details of government very seriously. The Church of Ulanazar and the Nine Royal Houses of Greater Shaar each deal with this threat to their power very differently, but at the outbreak of war they still consider it only a minor terrorism problem within their own borders, setting harsh examples and turning a blind eye to the vast international conspiracy to overthrow all magic establishment at the first chance. The exception to this is the Nexus Corporation of Deltora, which, despite being a leading technology developer, seems oddly determined to maintain the status quo in Deltora. They’re not particularly attached to any ruling house, as evidenced by their mercenary support of whoever happens to be residing in Blackheart Palace, but they’re firmly against, (or at least deeply curious,) about this impending global rebellion, and have spies planted deep within, observing but not reporting back to the Deltoran Royal family as of 6009.

What I need to figure out is if there’s a better name for this movement, even if the specific names never comes up. Anarchists, terrorists, and criminals are the more common labels for the particularly active individuals intent on stirring up change. And indeed, the vast movement is deeply divided over courses of action. A small but vocal and violent minority would rid the world of magic through genocide or any other means necessary. At the outbreak of war very many citizens are swept up in the frenzy of ultra-nationalism, but as the war proves futile and unforgiving, a large sentiment of  pacifism pushes in the opposite direction driving people to look to alternate forms of government to bring their children home. What needs to be fleshed out further here?